Store-service ladder.



PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905.

S. B. MARTIN.

STORE SERVICE LADDER. APPLICATION FILED 1120.31, 1904.

Httprnegs 21 Inventor.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STORE-SERVICE LADDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1905.

Application filed December 31, 1904. Serial No. 239,262.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL B. MARTIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dalton, in the county of WVayne and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Store-Service Ladder, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to ladders employed in stores for movement alongthe shelving to enable the clerks to conveniently reach the goods uponthe higher shelves, and has for its object to improve the constructionand increase the efliciency of devices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to produce a device of this characterwhich may be employed by two persons at the same time and also utilizedto transport goods from place to place in the store.

WVith these and other objects in view, which will appear as the natureof the invention is better understood, the same consists in certainnovel features of construction, as hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters,is illustrated the preferred form of the embodiment of the inventioncapable of carrying the same into practical operation, it beingunderstood that the invention is not necessarily limited thereto, asvarious changes in the shape, proportions, and general assemblage of theparts may be re sorted to without departing from the principle of theinvention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

In the drawings thus employed, Figure 1 is a perspective view of theimproved apparatus in operative position relative to the adjacentshelving. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail of the carriermechanism and the track upon which it operates. Fig. 3 is a transversesection, enlarged, of one of the steps of the ladder portion of thedevice.

The improved device comprises two ladders represented, respectively, atand 11 and spaced apart and connected near their upper ends by ahorizontal platform 12 and at or near their lower ends by a platform 13and preferably of iron or steel.

The ladder members will preferably be inclined reversely, with the lowerplatform 13 larger than the upper platform 12.

The ladder members are preferably constructed with the side rails of oneladder connected together transversely at the lower ends, as at 14, andthe side rails of the other ladder likewise connected at 15, while theouter rails of one ladder are connected at the upper ends by an archedframe 16 and the inner rails likewise connected by an arched frame 17.

The transverse spaced steps 18 19 of the respective ladders are eachpressed or bent from a single sheet of metal, preferably steel, inbox-like form open at the bottom. as represented in Fig. 3, and with theends bent for inclosing the side rails of the ladders and rivetedthereto, as at 20 2].. This forms a very strong and rigid step and addsmaterially to the strength and rigidity of the structure.

The lower step of each ladder, as at 22 23, is extended, as shown inFig. 1, to assist a person in passing from the ladder members to theplatform 13 or from the platform to the ladders and without dismountingtherefrom.

The ladder members are connected at one side by a stay member 24 andwith diagonal braces 25 26, extending from the stay member to the outerside of the lower platform 13, to which they are connected, as at 27 28.

The ladders thus constructed are mounted for movement along theshelving, (represented at 29,) generally with the ledge 30, and theladder members when employed in connection with shelving of thischaracter will be provided with offsets, as at 31 32, to bring the upperportions of the ladders closer to the narrower upper shelves. A track 33is connected to the shelving parallel to and relatively near the floor,and running upon this track are guide sheaves or trolleys 35 36,connected to the ladder members. Theladder members can thus be movedalong the shelving and without engaging the floor and without thenecessity for a track upon the floor.

The track member is formed from sections of L iron or steel set with theapex next the shelving and connected thereto by brackets 37, placed atsuitable intervals and rein forced by blocks 38, the trolleys 35 36running upon the upper angularly-disposed edge of the track.

The trolleys 35 36 are connected, respectively, to hanger-plates 39 4:0,having hooks 11 12 at their lower ends, with the terminals of the hooksextended upwardly and engaging the rear face of the lower side of thetrack 33. A section of L iron or steel 15 is also connected to each ofthe upper ends of the hangerl plates 39 4:0 and bearing against theadjacent faces of the ladder members to form guards to the same.

Attached to the lower steps'22 23 are brackets 46 47, and coupled to thehooks L1 42 by links 48 49 to provide a flexible coupling means betweenthe ladders and tracks.

Suspended from the walls of the building, preferably near the ceiling,is a cable 50, preferably with means such as a turnbuckle 51 forstraining the same, and the connected ladder members are suspended fromthis cable by a trolley or sheave 52 and armor mast 53, the latterrigidly connected to the ladder members, as at 54 55.

The hanger 56 for the trolley-wheel 52 is disposed for extensionlaterally from the mast 53, so that the strains upon the cable arelateraland the downward strain on the cable reduced to a minimum and thesagging of the cable effectually prevented. By this means the ladder issuspended flexibly or outwardly yieldably relative to the track andshelving to decrease the friction when moving along the same, and thuscorrespondingly decrease the power required to operate the device. Bythis simple arrangement it will be obvious that two persons can use theladder at the same time and on that account will be found veryconvenient and of increased efiiciency in han-' dling many lines ofgoods.

The device may also be employed to advantage in displaying certain linesof goods to customers without removal from the shelves, the customerstanding upon one ladder and the clerk upon the other and moving alongthe shelves as required.

The platforms 1 2 13 are an essential and useful part of the invention,as they afford a convenient means for transporting goods from oneportionof the store tothe other or for temporary storage while placingthe goods in position or the like or for any other desired purpose,

The ladder members may be of any desired size or material; but theframework and steps will preferably be of iron or steel, as beforenoted. 7

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. Two laddersspaced apart and connected near their ends by horizontally-disposedplatforms, a guide-cable suspended from a ceiling contiguous to a lineof shelving and parallel therewith, a guide-track for attachment to saidshelving and extending longitudinally thereof, a mast extending from theouter side of said ladder and terminating in aguide-pulley for movementon said cable, and guidepulleys for movement on said track and congectedto the inner sides of'said ladder memers.

2. Two arched frames connected by spaced steps to form two laddersspaced apart and connected by theirside-members at one end and withhorizontal platforms connecting the ladders near the ends.

3. Two ladder members spaced apart and connected near their ends byhorizon tally-disposed platforms, a tie member connecting said laddermembers at one side, and diagonallydisposed brace members connectingsaid tie member with the opposite side of said lower platform.

4:. Two arched frames spaced apart and con- 'nected at their-lower endsand with spaced steps connecting the frames at intervals, said stepseach consisting of a single piece of sheet metal shaped into box-likeform open at the lower side and with the ends bent around the sidemembers and riveted thereto.

5. Ladder side members connected at intervals by transverse steps eachconsisting of a single piece of sheet metal shaped into boxlike formopen at the lower side and with the ends bent for enclasping the sidemembers and riveted thereto.

6. Two ladder members spaced apart and connected near the ends, aguide-cable supported above said ladders, a guide-track disposedparallel with the path of said ladders, a trolley connected to saidladders and bearing laterally upon said cable, hanger-frames carryingtrolleys bearing upon said track, brackets connected to said ladders,and links movably connecting said brackets and hangers.

7. Two ladder members spaced apart and connected near the ends, aguide-cable supported above said ladders. a guide-track disposedparallel with the path of said ladders, a trolley connected to saidladders and bearing laterally upon said cable, hanger-frames cara ryingtrolleys bearing upon said track, brackets connected to said ladders,links movably connecting said brackets and hangers, and guard memberscarried by said hangers for bearing against said ladders.

'8. Two ladder members spaced apart and connected near the ends, aguide-cable supported above said ladders, a guide-track disposedparallel with the path of said ladders, a trolley connected to saidladders and bearing laterally upon said cable, hanger-frames carryingtrolleys bearing upon said track, and with standards dependingtherefrom, hooks at the terminals of said standards, brackets connectedto said ladders, and links connecting said brackets with the hooks uponsaid standards.

9. Two ladder members spaced apart and connected near the ends, aguide-cable supported above said ladders, a guide-track disposedparallel with the path of said ladders, a trolley connected to saidladders and bearing laterally upon said cable, hanger-frames carryingtrolleys bearing upon said track, and with standards dependingtherefrom, hooks at the terminals of said standards and extended forslidably bearing against the rear face of said track, brackets connectedto said ladders, In testimony that I claim the foregoing as and linksmovably connected between said my own I have hereto aflixed mysig'naturein brackets and hooks. the presence of two witnesses.

10. Two ladder members spaced apart and l SAMUEL B. MARTIN. connectednear their ends by horizontally-dis- Witnesses: posed platforms, withthe lower steps of said F. F. H. POPE, ladder members extendedlaterally. O. W. HORN.

